China environmental concern has again dragged the national attention. Yesterday CCTV News has uncovered scary pollution problems in Darong City Economic Zone. The villages in Darong are surrounded by chemical plants. Low crops yield, dead fish and sicked children were a fact that made it becomes such a big issue in Jiangsu Province.

In the news on 7^th Dec, the TV showed the smelly air, polluted water in the river, villagers have been living in this land for over 30 years, they protested for bad environmental management where their health and life is under risk. The villagers have requested either the whole village move out or all 20 plants in Dafeng close down.The vegetables are unable to grow in the field as it was “sprayed” by pesticides, grasses are unable to grow after water passed through. 

Now, the plants around Dafeng city have stopped production until further notice.  

By Lynn

European Commission has decided to plan for a cancellation of anti-dumping measurement for China exported Glyphosate. The commission is ready to stop the investigation after they found low quantity of Glyphosate imported from China and it hasn’t bring too much threat to the market

Siince 2004, European Commission approved 29.9% anti-dumping tax on Chinese Glyphosate, till May 2009, the commission suspended the policy for over 9 months. As requested by EGA (European Glyphosate Association), European Commission started to launch the investigation and evaluation on anti-dumping case during the suspention period. The suspension has been extended until Feb 14, 2011.

Now, EGA decided to withdraw their request on Glyphosate’s anti-dumping inspection, the Commission will make the final decision on December 22. The result will be annouced on their official newspaper.

It is certainly a good news to many Chinese manufacturers.

By Lynn

CLP, the regulation in EU on classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures, is coordinated with GHS and REACH. It is the final standard for the classification, labeling and packaging of chemicals in EU, and will be put into practice at 1^st December, 2010.

CLP has the same administration as REACH so that both the two regulations are handled by ECHA. Besides, CLP makes up the lack of REACH in classification and labeling. CLP has the same implemented procedures as REACH so that accomplishment step by step and transition period is necessary. CLP has the same strict requirements as REACH too.

The differences between CLP and REACH are almost all chemicals are covered by CLP. Not only the quantities such as in REACH, the chemicals more than 1MT in export per year are influenced, in CLP, that less than 1MT will be supervised also. But also the substances have already been admitted by REACH in registration free but not admitted by CLP either. 

Anyway, since 1^st December 2010, all the chemicals in and out EU should abide by the CLP or more duration in port, cargo return and amercement would be in line.

For Psychem, firstly, the details of classification, labeling and packaging will be updated according to the requirements in CLP. Secondly, psychem has already discussed with the forwarders to focus on the application to ECHA so that make all the shipments smoothly.

Psychem notices, learns and follows the CLP.

By Jane